Our Mission

Fostering Care, is a nonprofit healing school for youth aging out of foster care.

We are healing the healers of tomorrow.

Within the three-month healing intensive, participants will receive modalities and therapies to treat trauma, strengthen immune and neurological systems, as well as fortify self-esteem and the corporeal. By completion, the participants will have also earned numerous healing trade certifications; David Elliott Breathwork teaching certification, CAST: Zero Abuse Project, Community Resilience Model (CRM), Food Handlers license, OSHA, Peer to Peer Support Certification,Trauma-Resilient Professional (TRP) w/TREC, & SiddhaYoga - enabling them to continue the healing processes as a trade in our vast, post-graduate, career pipelines.

 “…Fostering Care, a holistic, nonprofit healing school for youth aging out of foster care in Los Angeles. The school is contributing to halting the negative outcomes that so many youth who age out of foster care experience, including homelessness, incarceration, and human trafficking. Moreover, the school is also very importantly training young people in healing modalities, so that they leave school with a trade/occupation that will enable them to achieve self-sufficiency. Fostering Care will truly transform these young people’s lives, giving them the potential to live vibrant, healthy, and prosperous lives, by playing a part in the healing of others and feeling the empowerment that comes from being a contributing member of society.  

This type of school does not exist elsewhere. Therefore, the approach has never been tried before and it is needed now more than ever. The global pandemic has horrifically impacted young people who age out of foster care.”

Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP,

Associate Professor

University of Pennsylvania

We are healing the healers of tomorrow

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We are healing the healers of tomorrow 〰️


STRATEGIES AND SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES

MORNING SESSIONS: Monday-Friday: Depending on the day—EMDR, Acupuncture, Māori Energy Healing, Sat Nam Rasayan, Gatka - Martial Art, Kundalini Yoga, Qi Gong, Sound Bath & Meditation. (CBT and a psychologist  available if necessary.)

As Needed: Dr. Siri Shakti or Dr. Gerber; Naturopathic check-ups, blood work, follow-up visits for results and homeopathic prescriptions, and nutritional advice based on bloodwork examination. We are partnered with Nenergy Boost for IV vitamin, mineral, and holistic medicines.

MIDDAY LUNCH & THERAPY PROGRAM: Monday-Friday 11-1: Eight16 - Culinary Therapy, Mercedes Tiggs, LCSW.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS: Monday-Thursday: David Elliot Breathwork and Teacher Training, Dating and Authentic Relationship by Coach Lee, Cognitive Reframing, Trauma-Informed Therapy Courses, Council with Irasha, and Spiritual and Moral Psychology - Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Grounding. 

Fostering Care has partnered with Learn4life, hosting an accredited trauma-resilient charter classroom and numerous trade certifications: DAVID ELLIOTT BREATHWORK, CRMTREC, Food Handlers, CAST- ZERO ABUSE PROJECT

WEEKEND SESSIONS: Saturday: Kundalini Yoga and Lunch (optional). 

Saturday evenings: The participants will be asked to submit a recorded praxis. In it, they will describe any issues or experiences they had.

Sunday: Kundalini Yoga and Lunch (optional). Weekend Kundalini classes will be open to the Kundalini public so that participants can expand their community.

Other:

Guest lectures - Community leaders and business professionals as guest speakers -  exposing them to a variety of worlds they may not have been familiar with, from Rights 4 Girls (anti-trafficking org.), Dr. Alexandra Kathehakis (Center for Healthy Sex), important spiritual and religious leaders and teachers, (The Majlis, Chaplain Sondos Kholaki) political activists (Rep Bass, Prof. Jody Armour), nutrition and wellbeing, (Frumie Rosenfeld NFT.) As well as a variety of  experts in fields the student body has an interest in. 

12-step fellowship meetings to expose the youth to additional forms of personal accountability and community.

Additional 

Safe space to attend a place of worship - any religion of their choice - once a week- and can be mentored through that process.  Diversity and exploration will be encouraged. This is to promote devotion and build community. 

Service (Seva) is giving to feel pride in oneself. There will be service opportunities that can be conducted in rotation, such as serving lunch, sweeping, putting mats away, as well as: feeding people experiencing homelessness, or aiding the community in some way. Service can be conducted with us or elsewhere. Still, hours will need to be recorded because service is about building pride and creating healthy boundaries around giving. 

To connect these participants with their voices and support them in discovering their unique identities, each will be encouraged to hand in a recorded verbal praxis every week.

Enrollment Criteria

Ages 18-21 – Youth of transitional age from foster care must be aging out, or have recently aged out, of foster care qualifying for  AB 12 status.  

There are no parameters on sex or gender–– participants will be selected based on their desire, applications, and an “in-person” meeting with the board. 

All races and ethnicity are welcome. However, we are committed to ensuring our student body reflects the most up-to-date race statistics of the DCFS in Los Angeles County.

Participants must live in Los Angeles County.